Technical Field
Example embodiments of the present invention generally relate to an authentication system and an authentication method.
Background Art
Conventionally, authentication systems are known that record the authentication data of a user on an integrated circuit (IC) card or mobile information terminal and perform the authentication of the user when such an IC card or mobile information terminal is brought into contact with the reader of an information appliance. In such systems, IC cards or mobile devices such as mobile information terminals, and readers adopt a short-range radio communication system, and exchange authentication data therebetween.
In recent years, as a technology of connecting information appliances that are physically proximate to each other through the network, the technology of encoding communication information such as an Internet protocol (IP) address for identifying a device and transmitting the encoded communication information through a special communication channel using flash patterns, light emission patterns, sound patterns, or vibration patterns is known. When such flash patterns, light emission patterns, sound patterns, or vibration patterns are used, the range that a signal can reach is limited.